IS THE CHURCH MISSING THE SIGNS OF THE END TIMES?

How long will it be before the church will be raptured? I Corinthians 15:51 – 54 – “But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: Death is swallowed up in victory.” NLT

Matthew 24:30 – 32 – “And then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from all over the world—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven. Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near.” NLT

The fig tree is believed to be the establishment of Israel as a nation which occurred in March 1948. Then Jerusalem became a part of Israel in the war of 1967. Daniel 12:4 says that this generation will have an expansion of knowledge. Have you used Google, Facebook or Yahoo? In addition, all of the technical equipment available today. Another sign we are told that the gospel will be preached throughout the world and all nations will hear it. Matthew 24:14

The rapture will come when it is least expected. Scripture says: when the fig tree branches bud you will know that summer is near. As of 2015, it has been 66 years since the first sign occurred. The Bible tells us we are then to watch and pray and if you are not watching and expecting you may not be where you should be spiritually. Shouldn’t churches make everyone aware that they had better be prepared?

What if your spouse, children, relatives or friends have not accepted Christ as their Savor? It is very possible they could be left behind. The Bible says that the days following the rapture will be worse than anything this world has ever seen. If all Christians and the Holy Spirit were gone, can you image what it will be like with the Antichrist ruling the world?

II Thessalonians 2:8 – 12 – “Then the man of lawlessness will be revealed, but the Lord Jesus will kill him with the breath of his mouth and destroy him by the splendor of his coming. This man will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles. He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them. So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies. Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth.”

Christians, recognize that those who are not saved will believe the Antichrist because of God’s powerful delusion. We must do everything to help people understand; there could be a time when it is not possible to accept Christ as one’s Savior. Remember the hard-hearted evil pharaoh who God used during Moses’ time who wouldn’t believe after seeing all of the miracles and plagues?

Every Christian should be praying for loved ones and friends. Time could be much shorter than any of us realize. Most Christians do not understand how important prayer is. Miracles are most often the result of prayer. I have witnessed those who have been healed. I have seen God intervene in the church’s business so many times as answers to prayers. I have been in churches where there were those who were prayer warriors to such an extent they seemed to be anointed. I had an aunt that prayed continually and the Holy Spirit confirmed her prayers. I had a grandfather who was a prayer warrior. He had nine grandsons in World War II and God told him that all would come home safely. One had two ships torpedoed out from under him and had ships pick him up twice out of the ocean. Every one of his grandchildren confronted potential death but were spared. I tell you this because I know the importance of prayer and we have those who will be left behind if we are not praying that the Lord saves them.

Daniel 12:9 – 10 & 13 – “But he said, “Go now, Daniel, for what I have said is kept secret and sealed until the time of the end. Many will be purified, cleansed, and refined by these trials. But the wicked will continue in their wickedness, and none of them will understand. Only those who are wise will know what it means. As for you, go your way until the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days, you will rise again to receive the inheritance set aside for you.”

Stop and think what you could miss if you are not a Christian and the rapture comes.

Revelation 21:1 – 4 – “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

Is there anything on this earth that is better than what Scripture promises to Christians in eternity?